§ Baroness Blatchasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether it will welcome the initiative taken by Motability to promote unleaded petrol and what measures are being taken by Her Majesty's Government to encourage its further use.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of the Environment (Lord Hesketh)The Government congratulates Motability on its initiative, and the companies and organisations associated with it. This initiative will benefit not only disabled people but also all sections of the community by reducing the lead contamination of the atmosphere from vehicle exhausts. The Government has already provided a range of information and publicity material, and has supported national and various local lead-free petrol weeks.
My honourable friend the Member for Surrey South West, chairs the Unleaded Petrol Group which brings together the motor and oil industries, CLEAR—Campaign for Lead Free Air—and other interested organisations to co-ordinate the changeover to unleaded fuel. Measures taken to promote the fuel have resulted in sales doubling over the last three months, and in many forecourts sale of unleaded petrol exceeds that of 2-star leaded. The number of petrol stations selling unleaded has also increased rapidly and now stands at over 4,000 compared with 700 a year ago.